"The diplomat-theorist George F. Kennan once quipped that the problem of reaching a good outcome equals the square of the number of participants. First, diplomats take over from the wonks. Although a marvelous group -- remember, I was among them -- they tend to know little of the substance. Real experts get shoved aside, or accommodated, while the "comma futzing" (that's a euphemism) begins. So, loads of people spend loads of time negotiating over a topic on which they themselves could say little of merit." - Todd Stern